Broccoli Salad

The problem with most broccoli salads is the broccoli – the raw broccoli. Some people like raw broccoli, and actually, I love raw broccoli stems. They taste a lot like cabbage or cauliflower. But the florets? If they’re raw, keep them away please.

So, how to make a broccoli salad if you don’t like raw broccoli? The solution—blanch the broccoli for 1 minute, or no more than two minutes. The broccoli will still be firm enough for the salad, the color will be even prettier, because blanching brings out the green, and the taste will be less raw and more cooked.

In this recipe, the broccoli pairs wonderfully with the toasted almonds, bacon, peas, and onion. The honey and vinegar in the dressing adds some sweet and sour to the mix.

Normally I cringe at the thought of broccoli salad, but honestly, this is one of the tastiest salads I’ve ever made, broccoli or not.

Prep:20 minutes

Yield:Serves 4 to 6

The recipe makes a generous amount of dressing, so you may not need to use all of it.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt

5-6 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 pound of florets)

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1/4 cup of red onion, chopped

1 cup of frozen peas, thawed (or fresh peas if you can get them)

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup honey

Method

1 Bring a large pot of water, salted with a teaspoon of salt, to a boil. Add the broccoli florets. Cook 1-2 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the broccoli. 1 minute will turn the broccoli bright green, and leave it still pretty crunchy. 2 minutes will cook the broccoli through, but still firm. Set your timer and do not cook for more than 2 minutes, or the broccoli will get mushy. Drain the broccoli and immediately put into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. After the broccoli cools, drain it well before dressing it in the next step.

2 Combine broccoli florets, almonds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cider vinegar and honey. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well. Chill thoroughly before serving.